Community Board update, by Asar John

Community Board 6’s December board meeting got off to a rocky start with tech issues plaguing communication from elected officials who attended virtually.

Tuning in via Zoom, Red Hook Star-Revue got a front row seat to the malfunctions. The meeting kicked off with announcements from Council Member Alexa Aviles’ outgoing deputy chief of staff, Christina Bottego, who tuned in via Zoom but couldn’t be heard by the in-person audience.

The microphone was at maximum volume, according to the board’s land use coordinator, Rebecca Kobert, who was facilitating the Zoom session. Bottego then opted to send her updates via email to District Manager Mike Racioppo. It’s unclear whether Racioppo planned to share these updates on the district’s weekly newsletter, which hasn’t gone out since Nov. 27.

Next in the virtual queue was Council Member Shahana Hanif, who provided updates regarding her political actions, including overriding mayoral vetoes on housing vouchers, a bill shielding New Yorkers from being targeted by ICE and a March 31st extension of the public comment period on the draft scope of work for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal.

Hanif was interrupted by Kobert, who called out people in the in-person audience for being disruptive while the council member gave her remarks. Kobert said she was trying to get the volume a bit louder so the crowd could hear, but Hanif offered to let a staff member that was actually at the meeting (held down the block from Hanif’s district office) relay any information that wasn’t heard.

These tech snafus haven’t been unique to the general board meeting. At the Dec. 4 CB6 land use meeting, staffers from City Planning presented a modernization plan for the city’s industrial sector, but it couldn’t be viewed in full due to issues with Racioppo’s computer.

While the staffers were able to present the plan verbally, Zoom attendees were disconnected while Racioppo tended to his downed computer.

E-bikes
Moving through CB6 committee updates, the transportation committee presented a motion supporting Intro 1380, a proposal to ban the sale of Class 3 e-bikes, which can exceed 20 miles per hour.

“The rationale behind this legislation and why we voted to support it is that there should be one standard,” said CB6 transportation chair, Tony Malone. “You can’t buy an e-bike that goes faster than you’re legally allowed to operate in New York City.”

Part of the motion included encouraging the mayor’s office to return to a 20-mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes to create a uniform standard for the legal purchase and operation of micro-mobility vehicles in the city. The committee also reiterated its’ support for Sammy’s Law, which designates certain streets for a 20-mile-per-hour speed limit.

The transportation motion passed unanimously.

In other transportation news, the Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District, along with the Department of Transportation, will present a redesign of Fifth Avenue in Park Slope at the committee meeting on Jan. 21.

Court Street
Once again, Court Street dominated the meeting’s public comment session. This time around, testimony supporting the street’s redesign was more prevalent than in previous meetings.

“I know this community to be an entirely family-oriented community that’s concerned about kids getting to school and elderly people getting to medical care — the bike lanes make that much easier,” said a meeting participant who mentioned they were a third-generation resident of the area.

“I’ve noticed in previous meetings, people talk about being born in the community as a reason that they have a stake,” said the participant. “I think many different people have a stake in this community. That’s it.”

“Now when I am on Court Street since the bike lane has come in, the most significant change I have noted is that cars are just moving a lot more slowly,” said Court Street area resident, Rick Miller.

Miller noted that he welcomes the change because it’s made the street quieter, which prompted laughter from one member of the in-person crowd.

A resident identified as “Jonathan” encouraged people to have more active participation in community decisions.

Lets get involved!
“Instead of just doing these things without our buy-in, let’s have big open discussions and let’s have a democracy representing all of us and let’s all have a say,” said Jonathan. “I say, for the next decision, let’s put up flyers, let’s get more people involved.”